


The spark in your eyes

by croissantbleu



Category: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV 2016)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Post-Season/Series 02, also because they're cute, it's just very self indulgent because i can
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 02:52:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13331943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/croissantbleu/pseuds/croissantbleu
Summary: "He was lying on the bed, eyes closed and appreciating the quiet, when he heard three quick knocks on the door. He considered ignoring it and just hoping that whoever that was would leave him alone, but four more knocks hit the wood, insisting. He sighed. He knew one person who would know like that, in such an urgent way."Or the one in which Todd and Dirk have to discuss a few things





	The spark in your eyes

Todd was in his room when someone knocked on the door. Well, not  _ his _ room, but the one he was staying in at the motel. Tina knew the guy running it, and she'd managed to get them three rooms, somehow. Farah and her were sharing one, and he couldn't say he was surprised. Mostly, he was just glad he could get some actual rest for once. 

He was lying on the bed, eyes closed and appreciating the quiet, when he heard three quick knocks on the door. He considered ignoring it and just hoping that whoever that was would leave him alone, but four more knocks hit the wood, insisting. He sighed. He knew one person who would know like that, in such an urgent way.

He got up and blinked a few times to get rid of the blur clouding his vision before making his way to the door. Sure enough, Dirk was behind it when he opened it. His eyes widened a little, as if he hadn’t really expected that Todd would answer.

“Todd! You’re here. Of course you’re here, this is your room, where else would you be,” he said quickly. “Could we… talk?”

Todd frowned. “Talk? About what? The case? The one that you won’t tell me about?”

He regretted saying that as soon as the words left his lips, and his stomach only felt tighter when he saw Dirk recoil, so slightly that he wouldn't missed it if he didn't know him so well. Dirk seemed to look for something to say for a second, before taking a step back and pointing to the hallway.

“You know what? I'm sorry. I- I shouldn't have bothered you. I'll just… see you tomorrow. With the others. We'll all see each other tomorrow morning without having talked about anything. Why should we talk about anything? We don't need to talk about anything. I'll go now.”

“Wait!” Todd found himself reaching his arm out to him without realizing it. “Dirk, wait. I- I'm sorry, I'm just tired, I didn't mean to upset you. That was mean. What do you want to talk about?”

“Nothing,” Dirk answered so quickly he almost cut him off. “It's nothing. Goodnight, Todd.”

He immediately turned around and was about to walk away when Todd stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder, slowly making Dirk look at him again.

“What is it? We can talk, if you want, it's fine. You're not- You're not bothering me or anything, you know that, right? I'm your friend. That's what friends do. They listen to each other.”

The hint of a smile flashed across Dirk's face. “Okay, alright. Thank you.”

Todd smiled too and took a few steps back to let him in. Truth was, Dirk had been acting weird for the last few days, but whenever Todd had tried to bring it up, he had just been evasive. So he had to admit, he actually was a bit relieved that Dirk hadn't stayed alone with whatever was on his mind.

Dirk closed the door behind him and went to sit on the bed next to Todd, hands resting on his knees as would do a kid who's expecting to get in trouble, and Todd briefly wondered again why this was such a familiar seating position for Dirk, but it made his throat feel tight for some reason. He really didn't want to think about that. He cleared his throat.

“Okay, so. What is it?”

Dirk shifted a little to face him again. 

“I just… I wanted to thank you, I guess? I realize this must sound very silly to you, but you have- you have been my first real friend for as long as I can remember, and I just wanted to say that… it means a lot to me. Really.”

Todd chuckled a little, mostly to try to hide his surprise. It wasn't that he didn't know that Dirk never really had many friends before ending up with him, Farah, Amanda and Tina, but Dirk wasn't really the kind of guy to openly talk about his feelings and thoughts, so Todd hadn't really seen that one coming.

“Well, uhm, you're welcome I guess…?” he stuttered awkwardly. “You know, I could say the same thing. I know I really was a jerk when you first showed up and I- I really want to apologize for that, that was rude, and I know I'm still an insensitive asshole sometimes but I'm… I'm working on it, I promise, and-”

“Todd,” Dirk cut him off, head tilted to the side and eyes filled with confusion. His eyes were always so easy to read. “I did not come here to ask for apologies. And you're not an… “insensitive asshole” like you say,” he said, miming the quotes. “You're a great friend.”

Todd scoffed. “That doesn't count, it's not like you have a lot to base that on.”

“Of course I do!” Dirk seemed almost offended that he would doubt his judgement on this. “I have met a  _ lot _ of terrible people - you've met quite a number of them as well, actually -, and most of them would definitely qualify for the term “insensitive asshole”,” and there he was again with the air quotes, “but you certainly do not. And I’d appreciate if you could try to stop putting yourself down all the time as if you had not changed since I’ve met you, because you have. And in a good way. And, we’re a team now, right?”

“Yeah,” Todd couldn’t fight the grin he felt growing on his lips. “I guess we are.”

They fell silent for a while, the quiet only disturbed by the sounds of passing cars nearby and the drunken laughter of groups of people watching the sun slowly set under the window. Todd’s eyes were studying the strange pattern on the wall in front of him, and he was wondering what Dirk had wanted to talk about because, obviously, that wasn’t how he was a great friend or some bullshit like that. He knew it had to be something else, he just didn’t know what. And he had learned by now that trying to get Dirk to tell him anything if he didn’t want to was useless, and a bad idea. He didn’t want to make him more upset than he already was. So he was just waiting.

“Why do you never hug me?”

Dirk said that so calmly, as if it was a normal question he'd ask at any time, that Todd wondered if he had heard correctly.

“I- wh- what? What do you mean?” Todd spluttered embarrassingly. 

Dirk’s habit of blurting out what he wanted to say without any warning kept surprising him a lot more than it should. He really should have gotten used to it by now, but he just couldn’t.

“It's a simple question Todd, even you should be able to understand it,” and even without looking at him Todd knew he had that stupid smirk on his face.

“I understand what you said,” he answered. “I'm just… not sure why you would ask that.”

“Because that's what friends do, right? To comfort each other when they're upset. And clearly, I know you know when I'm upset, yet you've never… really tried to comfort me. I'm not saying that to make you feel bad or anything,” he rushed to add. “I was just… wondering if there was a particular reason, I guess.”

“I- I don't know? I guess I just… I just assumed you weren't the kind to really appreciate physical contact, y’know, so I just… didn't want to bother you with that?”

“What are you talking about? Why did you kiss me then?”

Todd turned his head so fast he could've sworn he heard his neck crack.

“Wh- What? What are you talking about? I didn't- I never- what?”

“ _ Yes _ , you did,” Dirk rolled his eyes. “During the Cardenas case, remember? When we went to the concert, Suzanne cast a spell that made everyone go weird and mushy and then most of you drank a bit - I didn't, I don't like it - and I guess spells and alcohol don't mix well because you said a lot of things and you kissed me and- how did you think the glowsticks I had ended up around your neck? To be fair, a lot of people said a lot of things that night, that was a very effective spell, I am glad we managed to stop her in the end. She was a powerful witch,” he added, almost with admiration. “Do you really not remember?”

Dirk sounded oddly hurt by Todd’s shitty memory, but no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't remember anything about that night, and he couldn't help but feel kinda bad for it. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, and maybe he should be a little concerned about it. And maybe he didn’t want to admit it but maybe he was a little bit upset that he  _ did _ kiss Dirk and had just… forgotten about it.

“I'm sorry, I really don't remember,” Todd stuttered, “but listen- I didn't… mean that, okay? I mean- I wasn't in a normal state of mind, like-”

“Oh, I know that,” Dirk said with a little smile, and somehow it made Todd feel worse because he was sure he  _ did _ mean whatever he had said that night. “That much was obvious, I don't think I would've needed to be a detective to notice that nobody was acting like usual, thank you very much. And I must remind you that I am the best detective out there. Or, at least, the best  _ holistic _ detective.”

“You're the only holistic detective,” Todd pointed out with a smile.

“I know! That just means I have to be the best,” Dirk answered, face lit up by a blinding grin. “Although, I suppose that also means I am the worst. I didn’t think about that. But that is quite fitting with the sign we put up, right? That sign was the best idea I ever had, if I’m being honest, I think it will really help the agency and-”

“Dirk?” Todd interrupted him softly.

“Right,” he nodded. “Focus. Sorry. Thank you. I’m back. What was I saying?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Todd laughed. “Nothing too important, probably.”

And maybe he was lying, and just didn’t want to admit that it was important, and he didn’t want Dirk to keep asking questions because he’d have to lie again, and he hated lying now - to him, especially. But the look on Dirk’s face wasn’t one of someone that believed him.

“I think you are lying to me,” he said calmly. “But what I don’t know is if you are lying to yourself as well.”

“I don’t- I- I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think you do,” Dirk said, tilting his head to the side a bit, like he did sometimes when he was trying to determine something, and stayed silent for a second or two, the intensity in his gaze keeping Todd from looking away. “If I kissed you now, without any spell or alcohol involved, would you want to forget about it too?”

“I- No,” Todd said honestly after searching in Dirk’s eyes for any trace of malice but finding only kindness and care. “Would you?”

A smile flashed on his face. “ _ I _ didn’t forget the first time, Todd.”

And Todd thought, fuck it, and leaned in. Thankfully, Dirk did too, because he was quite a bit taller than him and that would’ve been awfully awkward.

“So?” Dirk asked after they both moved away, his cheeks tinted pink in the slightest way that made Todd feel like he was falling endlessly.

“So, I think I’d like to remember that one,” Todd answered breathlessly.

And of course Dirk smirked again and pushed away the strand of hair that had fallen out of place on his forehead.

“Yes, I suppose that was… quite alright.”

Todd burst out laughing and let himself fall back on the bed, hands covering his face.

“ _ God _ , you’re so annoying, I hate you,” he falsely complained.

“I’m sure you do,” Dirk said, and Todd didn’t even have to see him to know he was smiling, that ridiculous smile that made his eyes sparkle and his whole face lit up.

“Am I really that obvious?”

“Well, let’s just say there is a reason why  _ I _ am the detective here.”

Todd laughed again and flipped him off, which only made him chuckle. In the end, he was glad he had opened the door earlier. This was a better outcome than what he could’ve expected.


End file.
